City of Fallen Souls: A LitRPG Adventure (UnderVerse Book 3) by Jez Cajiao (fb2 epub reader .txt) 📕

ground, with dark openings higher on the sides, then shifting to solid black at the top, with all the windows sealed shut and seemingly bricked over. “There are always guards at the bottom; two outside, and more inside, with the only way in being heavily reinforced.”

We stared at the structure, watching for any sign of the guard, but we saw nothing; no movement, no sound. I squinted at the far end of the square. Between us and the tower were shuttered carts, shining, rain slicked cobbles, and the occasional statue or lamppost. Beyond that, there was nothing, only a faint glow from a barrel turned on its side directly outside the doorway we needed.

“What is that?” I asked those around me, wiping the rain and sweat from my face.

“Where?” Augustus asked, and I gestured to the glow.

“I don’t know, but those assholes are getting closer.” Gaion said, his voice low and urgent as we heard the rising shouts in the distance for the ‘Legion scum’ and the ‘child killers’ to be found.

“It looks like a fire, or…” I whispered, focusing in.

“It’s the guard post,” a Djinn offered, floating in closer to me. “They have a barrel filled with coals. They light it and stand around drinking and keeping everyone away from the door. I’ve seen it before, when my siblings and I were out searching for our mother while pretending to be trying to steal.”

“Shit. Well, it looks like they’re expecting us, then!” I said grimly. I was hardly surprised, but I’d been hoping against hope.

“You need to make a decision,” Augustus said firmly. “If they’ve pulled back and are waiting for us, it’s going to be costly taking that place. Do we retreat, or storm it?” He studied my face in the steady drizzle, rain running from his helmet and making his armor gleam. I paused, understanding what he was saying. We’d likely lose men and women here, good people, and we could pull back instead. We risked being taken from behind by the building mob, possibly being trapped, even if we won the fight. I shook my head, closing my eyes and drawing a deep breath.

“We attack. I hate to risk our people, but we need to free the Harpies. They’ll make the next phase more likely to succeed, and I gave my word,” I said, feeling my stomach clench as I commanded the first battle of the night, risking my people’s lives for things I’d decided were necessary. Augustus saluted, his teeth flashing in a grin, before he waved forward the leaders of the squads.

“Rinko, take first squad and get that door open. Rewn, second squad is with Rinko; back him up. Lydia, close protection for Jax. Denny, you’ve got third. Watch our backs and keep an eye on those mobs; they get close enough to see, I want to know about it. We need to get inside and shut the doors before they arrive, ideally. Then they can fuck off, and we can get the job done. Amaat, take your fliers and make sure we’re clear; I want them to scout the tower…”

“We’re being watched,” a voice hissed from the side and I turned to find Nigret crouched nearby, staring fixedly at the tower.

“Where?” I asked, looking back at the seemingly abandoned building.

“First floor, second window. It's open at the bottom; there’s movement in there…” he rumbled, his tail twitching slightly as he stared.

I focused, my DarkVision activating as I concentrated. It was strange ability; it’d become second nature to use it, but I had quickly learned that using it around firelight caused terrible headaches if it was active for too long, so I’d automatically left it deactivated. Now I ignored the flaring, popping flames that danced under lamp glass around the square, and I concentrated on the point Nigret had indicated. At first, I saw nothing, but then as they moved slightly, I saw it. A glimmer of metal reflecting light…

“Crossbow…” I growled. “They know we’re here…”

“That tears it, then!” Augustus growled. “On three! One… two…”

As Augustus counted down, I started to cast, building the spell as quickly as I could while focusing in tightly on the window and mentally flexing as hard as I could. It took a few seconds, and I heard the roar of my people as they sprinted out of cover before I was done, but as the window snapped open fully, I released the spell, lightning flaring bright and almost blinding me as I fired.

A figure stepped into the opening, crossbow raised, when the bolt took him in the chest. The spell blasted him backwards into the suddenly illuminated room, his crossbow going off and the bolt vanishing somewhere inside the building.

“I count three in there!” I called out, having seen them shying back from the sudden light, and I started charging up a second spell as other windows opened up. Fliers lifted into the air from the openings higher in the building, screeching battle cries, as our own Alkyon swooped in to meet them.

I stood, pulling my mana in and concentrating on the AOE bomb blast I’d used against the Drow in the assault on their base. I began layering in the sections as quickly as I could, until I felt Oracle’s influence join my mind. Previously rough sections smoothed and tucked in neatly, and I felt the smile tugging at the edges of my mouth as the words fell from my lips.

Augustus stood by my side, his shield held ready, partially obscuring me as the spell built and he bellowed orders. Rinko and his squad took the lead as they smashed into the door. They’d tucked in behind each other, forming a tiny phalanx, and just before they impacted, each Legionnaire reached out, hands pressing on Rinko’s back, and a glow sprang up.

“Breaker!” Rinko screamed, suddenly glowing like the sun for a second before he slammed into the door, shattering it from its hinges as he used a specialized ability. The door was split down the middle, shards